>> Tuesday, May 31, 2016

BEHIND THE SCENES

Alfred P. Dizon

Environmentalists are questioning possible appointment of
"dirty" cabinet officials in the new administration presumptive
President ‘Rody’ Duterte.

Environmental advocates are distressed over the list of possible members
of presumptive President Rodrigo Duterte's cabinet, as the country undergoes
transition from the present government to the next.

"Most of the names being floated as appointees are either beholden
to mining and fossil fuel companies, or have had a hand in the widespread
environmental destruction and loss of livelihood experienced by communities in
the past years," said Norie Garcia, Partnership and Advocacy Director of
ABS-CBN LingkodKapamilya Foundation, Inc., one among the convenors of the Green
Thumb Coalition.

The Green Thumb Coalition is an electoral campaign which aims to bring
to light issues of the environment, particularly clean energy, biodiversity
preservation, ending destructive mining, climate justice, integrity of
creation, waste management, land use and reform, and people-centered
development.

Among the names posed to be selected as cabinet members of Digong's
cabinet is former Sagittarius Mines Board Chairman Gilbert 'Gibo' Teodoro as
Defense Secretary; former Shell CEO Edgar O. Chua as the new Department of
Energy Secretary; and JG Summit Chief Operations Officer Lance Gokongwei
as Finance Secretary.

"The proposed Tampakan mining operations pushed for by
Teodoro'sSagittarrius Mines in General Santos City, for example, has been met
by continuous resistance from the part of communities," said Garcia.
"While the South Cotabato Provincial Environment Code explicitly totally
bans open-pit mining in the area, Executive Order 79 was issued by the Aquino
administration overriding local government policies on mining," she added.

Garcia emphasized that the people of Mindanao, who are among Duterte's
most passionate supporters, will be at the losing end if the current policies
on mining are not changed. "And yet, we are giving an individual from the
mining industry access to mobilizing arms which may be used to their own
interests," she concluded.

Corporate interest in appointments not surprising, group says

Meanwhile, Center for Energy, Ecology and Development Executive Director
Gerry Arances, is not surprised with individuals from the coal industry like JG
Summit's Lance Gokongwei expressing interest in taking charge of government
positions.

"With the campaign for lessening the reliance on fossil fuels and
shifting to renewable energy sources gaining more and more support
internationally and locally in the Philippines, it is no wonder that the fossil
fuel industry would present their own people to block significant changes which
may be achieved in the next administration," said Arances.

Arances, also among the convenors of Green Thumb Coalition, noted
that a common denominator among presidential candidates is their support of
increasing the share of renewable energy in the power mix, a reversal of the Aquino
administration's policy which heavily relies on coal.

"In recent years, the anti-coal, anti-dirty energy movement has
encouraged waves of support from people of all sectors and most political
camps," Arances added. "In Batangas City, for example, where
Gokongwei's JG Summit is moving heaven and earth to construct a 600 MW
coal-fired power plant, community leaders, politicians and even religious
groups have banded together to contest and reject their project," he said.

"Aside from mass mobilizations, legal institutions from all over
the globe have also been utilized by the anti-dirty energy movement to
discontinue investments in fossil fuel," according to Arances, noting that
from European countries like Netherlands and Norway to US state governments,
policies which discontinue fossil fuel investments have successively been
pronounced and enacted.

"This wave of awareness regarding the destruction brought about by
fossil fuels is a strong indicator that further reliance on dirty energy cannot
continue, especially in the countries most vulnerable to environmental
disasters like the Philippines," Arances said.

Shell CEO as Energy Secretary rejected

The Sanlakasmultisectoral coalition, among the proponents of the growing
renewable energy movement in the country has warned against the conflict of
interest Edgar Chua may espouse in assuming office as DOE Secretary.

"Having an energy secretary who represents the interests of the
primary polluters in the country and in the world does not follow with the
promise of change Duterte has repeatedly pronounced during his campaign,"
said Sanlakas Secretary-General Aaron Pedrosa.

Pedrosa recalls the positive pronouncements the former Davao City Mayor
has shared with the coalition in the dialogue GTC has had with him, emphasizing
Duterte's commitment to shifting from dirty energy sources to cleaner, more
sustainable, renewable energy sources.

"Let us not forget that Shell is among the 50 companies sued by
environmental advocates in the Philippines for having the lion's share of
carbon emissions which are the primary cause of climate change," said
Atty. Aaron Pedrosa, Sanlakas Secretary-General.

Pedrosa, who also serves as the Energy Working Group Head for the
Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ) recalls the pending human
rights violation case filed with the Commission of Human Rights (CHR) last
September 2016 against fossil fuel companies like Shell, Exxon and Chevron.
PMCJ, Greenpeace and other convening organizations of the GTC are among the
lead organizations in filing the historic case.

"It is also important to note that Shell has influenced the
continuing deregulation of oil prices in the country which has led to the high
cost of fuel in our country. That is not a good precedent considering that one
of the duties of the DOE is to ensure that the cost of energy remains
accessible and beneficial to all sectors of society," said Pedrosa.

Pedrosa warned the presumptive President against entities which aim to
ride his large mandate and popularity to protect their vested interests,
particularly those who have thrived much from previous administrations.

"If the next President wants real change to come, a revolving door
policy which enlists personalities beholden to large profit-driven entities to
hold public positions must not be pursued," Pedrosa concluded.

Duterte's development track questioned as policies and appointments
surface

Finally, member organizations of the GTC found the succession of policy
pronouncements and appointments unbecoming of the change Duterte has professed
during his campaign.

"The continuation of the Aquino administration's development policy
lies contrary to the promise of change Duterte has promised during his
campaign," said Atty. Pedrosa. "Aquino's policy has always espoused a
slant in favor of businesses and profit at the expense of the well-being,
livelihood and safety of the people, not to mention the environment."
Pedrosa recalls that Duterte even went as far as threatening and swearing
against mining magnates and corrupt officials. "Now comes the most crucial
part, where Digong must prove that his actions speak louder than his
words," he said.

Arances reminded President-elect Duterte that laws supporting the shift
to renewable energy are already in place and all that is needed is the
political will to follow through.

"A people-centered development track, which includes a sustainable,
realistic renewable energy policy, is the way to go if we want real change to
come," Arances concluded.